


An Afternoon Off

by Idiotcheese



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Apprentice (The Arcana), Mental Health Days, Nadia Route (The Arcana), Nonbinary Apprentice (The Arcana), Nonbinary Asra (The Arcana), Other, Post-Canon, Self-Insert, Shopping, Tags Are Hard, are good!, vensuvia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:09:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28825725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idiotcheese/pseuds/Idiotcheese
Summary: Nadia manages to get a brief break from palace duties, and what better way to spend that time than shopping with you and Asra!
Relationships: Apprentice/Nadia (The Arcana), Nadia (The Arcana) & You, Nadia (The Arcana)/Reader, Nadia (The Arcana)/You
Kudos: 15





	An Afternoon Off

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify: This fic is specifically about you, Nadia and Asra. Julian, Portia, and Lucio are vaguely mentioned but not the stars of the show (this time atleast) so enjoy!

“Hey Nadi?” A familiar voice asked from the other side of the french doors to the Palace Veranda.  
“Asra, come in- well, out I suppose.” Nadia replied. Asra pushed through the doors, giving us both a big smile. The day so far at the palace had been rather uneventful. You had woken up (much later) than Nadia, and had a brief breakfast before joining her on the veranda overlooking the Palace Gardens and maze.  
“I had a fun idea for today, if you two are open to it.” asra began, casually running their hand through their hair.  
“Which is…” You began.  
“Well, do you both remember at the fall festival how we got to take Nadi shopping at the festival vendors, and how much she liked it?” they asked.  
“Of course I remember, Asra,” Nadia smiled from behind her papers she was studying. “I do love spending time with you two.”  
“Well, I was thinking that maybe we could do that again today but in the marketplace.”  
“That sounds like fun. We haven't been out much lately, Have we Nadi?” You look to Nadia.  
“Unfortunately, yes. I've been quite flooded with work lately.” she responded.  
“Ah, so maybe another day then when you two aren’t busy-”  
“Actually Asra, I believe I have the rest of the day off after this.” Asra and I both looked in disbelief at Nadia, who looked back at us in confusion.  
“Nadia, you never take days off! What's gotten into you?” You asked.  
“Well, I had a chat with Portia the other day about “mental health days” and such, and I do think that leaving the palace for a little bit may be good for me,” Nadia put her papers down, “Sorry darling, I meant to tell you two sooner but I… forgot to say the least.”  
“That's fine Nadi. But does this mean you’ll come shopping with us?”  
“Of course.I’ll only take a moment to get ready.” Nadia leaned over and gave you a polite kiss on the cheek before dismissing herself off of the Veranda.

Before leaving the palace, we decided it would be best if Nadia wore her ‘disguise’ to the marketplace. On any other occasion, you would have protested having to not be able to see your girlfriend's beautiful face through the shawl, but you knew that this day trip was for Nadia to take a break from palace duties.  
“I left the rest of the afternoon’s chores to Portia to sort out. I felt horrid leaving her with all this extra work but she insisted that I took a break.” Nadia explained.  
“You don't have to explain yourself. Upkeeping Lucio is a lot of work I can imagine.” Asra rolled his eyes, Nadia and I giggled.

It was only a fifteen minute walk to the markets, but the change in scenery in just that short walk from the Palace Heart District was incredible. The more foreign and diverse cultures of Vensuvia seemed to rule this end of the kingdom. Every stall was decorated with vibrant colors, handcrafted lanterns strung between buildings, and the entire market smelled like delicious foods. One thing you could care less for, was the crowd that ensued the markets on weekends. At Least a few hundred people had to be in that marketplace, filling it with the mixed sounds of peoples voices, whilst also making ever step down the narrowed pathway more and more tedious. Nadia slipped you her hand as the three of you waded through the crowd at the entrance to the market, following Asras lead.  
“This place never ceases to amaze me,” said Nadia. “Even during Vensuvias darkest hours, there was always some life here.”  
“It's beautiful, isn't it?” You responded.  
She looked at you through the front of her shaul, scarlet eyes making your heart flutter.  
“Not quite as beautiful as you, love.” She smiled back.  
“Sorry to break up the moment, you two, but Y\N, do you remember what kind of coal the stove salamander takes?” Asra asked as you neared a wooden stand selling firewood and other fire starters where a woman sat and whittled a piece of scrap wood.  
“Nothing in specific I don't think.” You respond, trying to hear him over the chatty crowd of the marketplace. Asra nodded and began to chat with the saleswoman at the stand. You looked back to Nadia, who seemed to be tuning in on their conversation.  
“One small bag of stove coal will be around $20.” the woman told Asra, who dug in his pockets of his messenger bag for a moment before pulling out several foriegn looking coins.  
“Dammit Ilya.” Asra mumbled.  
“What happened?” You asked curiously.  
“Ilya paid me back for drinks the other night and he gave me Doubloons in change.” Asra turned to the saleswoman.  
“Do you take doubloons, by chance?” He asked the saleswoman.  
“No, sorry. I'm not familiar with that currency.” She responded.  
“I’ll pay for it, Asra.” Nadi stepped up to the stand, opening a small lavender change bag.  
“Nadi, it's okay, you don't have to pay for this, I’ll figure something out.” They responded.  
“Nonsense, Asra. Consider it my gift to you for bringing me out for the day.” She handed the money to the vendor, who slid Asra his bag of coal.  
“Thanks Nadi.” He smiled as the three of you walked further down the lane of stands.  
“My pleasure,” she responded, fixing her shawl slightly.

After a few minutes of browsing the stands, Asra got distracted after running into a customer you recognized from his shop. While the two of them talked, Nadia took a moment to turn to you.  
“Y\N, is there anything here you would like me to get you?” She asked, your hand still intertwined with hers.  
“Im fine, love, but thank you for asking.” you responded humbly.  
“I'm sure we can find something that interests you, This market is very expansive.”  
“Actually, there is something I saw a few stands back…”  
“Which is?”  
“Well, it's kind of silly but it was one of those vendors that sold glass blown bracelet charms.”  
“Would you like one?” She asked, as if it were no big deal.  
“Yes, but it's not really a reasonable purchase, is it?”  
“Y\N, if you only saw half the things Lucio makes me buy on a regular basis, you wouldn’t worry about anything.” she gave you a soft kiss on the head through the drapes of her shawl, making you blush.  
“Now let's go look at those charms, hmm?” She beamed right back at you, before the two of you slipped back into the crowds of the vesuvian bizaar, hand in hand.


End file.
